Cattle marker



April 18, 1944. w. F; SCHACHT 2,346fi4fi CATTLE MARKER Filed July 10, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 9 9 I W. F. SCHACHT 2,346,46

CATTLE MARKER Filed July 10, 1942 2 Sheets-Shee t 2 Patented Apr. 18, 1944 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE 2,346,946 CATTLE MARKER William F. Schacht, Huntington, Ind. Application July 10, 1942, Serial No. 450,471

3 Claims.

This invention is a novel combined cattle marker and halter adapted for use on live stock, particularly cattle, and the present invention is an improvement upon the cattle markers disclosed in my copending applications Serial No. 389,984 filed April 23, 1941; Serial No. 407,968 filed August 22, 1941; Serial No. 409,734 filed September 5, 1941, and Serial No. 417,195 filed October 30, 1941.

The principal object of my present invention is to provide a marker consisting of a plate of fibrous or other material, bearing the record indicia permanently impressed or otherwise formed therein, said plate having three spaced perforations, adapted to receive novel metallic hooks, two of the said spaced perforations being disposed adjacent the upper edge of the plate and adapted to receive two of the said hooks, one end of a chain being closed in one hook, and the other hook being left open whereby a link adjacent the other end of the chain may be inserted therein and the open hook then closed after the chain has been passed around the horns or neck of the stock, the plate itself thus forming the means for securing the ends of the chain together in a substantially permanent manner; the third or centrally located perforation in the plate being disposed adjacent the lower edge of the plate and being adapted to receive the third hook in which a ring is permanently mounted, said ring being adapted to receive the end of a halter strap or chain, whereby the marker may also serve as a halter for the live stock. Ordinarily halters are placed on the cattles head and carry a ring so that same may be tied, such halters' being usually formed of leather and are thus relatively expensive; and moreover when exposed to the weather they soon deteriorate. Moreover, at the present time leather is scarce. The use of my novel combined cattle marker and halter however obviates the use of the customary leather halter to tie thecattle in stalls or the like, and at the same time provides an inexpensive, durable, combined marker and halter which will not rust or deteriorate, and which when placed upon the live stock will last indefinitely.

Another object of the invention is to provide a marker of the above type embodying novel hooks which may be secured in the perforations and mashed down so as to partially embed themselves in the fibre; thus rigidly securing the hooks to the fibre so as to prevent enlargement of the hook receiving holes in the plate, or if desired, the edge of the fibre plate may be notched to receive the downturned or mashed end of the plate engaging eye of the hook, thereby greatly increasing the life of the marker and at the same time providing a marker with rigid hooks extending from each end thereof.

A further object of the inventionis to provide a marker of the above type in which the ring depending from the lower hook when not used as a halter will maintain the marker plate in vertical position to prevent the same from o'verturning, and thus preventing foreshortening of the chain due to twisting; moreover, the two hooks secured adjacent the upper edge of the marker plate, being offset from the plane of the back face of the fibre plate, will maintain the plate spaced from the forehead of the live stock when the marker is used as a horn marker, thus providing for ventilation under 'the plate. 7

A still further object of the invention is to provide a marker plate of the above type having the three hook receiving perforations therein, the plate bearing the same indicia in inverted relation on opposite sides of the plate, whereby the central hook with the ring engaged therein may receive a leather or other strap for securings'ame around the neck of very young live stock, and when thus used the indicia will be properly di'splayed upon the outer face of the marker plate, the marker being thus utilized with or Without hooks inserted in the two remaining perforations in the marker plate. When however the live stock grows to such size that a chain may be used in connection with the horn or neckmarker, two hooks may then be inserted in the two remaining perforations, said hooks receiving the ends of the horn or neck chain, whereby the plate 'will hang with its opposite face outermost but still displaying the indicia in upright position thereon. The centrally disposed hook bearing the depending ring may then be used as a halter ring as above described, whereby the same marker plate while serving as a means for locking the ends of the chain together around the neck or horns of the animal, will also serve as a halter, thus obviating the use of a customary and expensive leather halter.

Other minor objects of the hereinafter set forth.

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate several practical embodiments thereof, to enable others to adopt and use the same; and will summarize in the claims, the novel features of coninventicn will be struction, and novel combinations of parts, for

which protection is desired.

, In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view showing my novel combined cattle marker and halter applied as a horn marker to the live stock.

Fig. 2 is a view showing the same applies as a neck marker.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of one face of the marker plate, detached, when the central perforation is disposed adjacent the lower edge thereof.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the reverse side of the plate shown in Fig. 3, when the central perforation is disposed adjacent the upper edge thereof, the reading of the indicia remaining unchanged.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the hook, detached.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the marker plate showing three hooks engaged in the three perfora'-' tions therein, the central hook being lowermost and carrying a ring, and one end hook being. per-. manently engaged with a link at one end of the chain, the other end hook being open to receive a link adjacent the opposite end of the chain.

Fig. 6a is a section on the line Gar-6a, Fig. 6.

Fig. 'I is a plan view of a somewhat modified marker plate in which the central perforationreceives a hook carrying a ring engaged by the neck strap used on very young live stock, the end hooks being omitted from the outer perforations, and showing the exposed indicia on the outer face of the plate reading properly from the front of the marker plate.

Fig. 8 is a view of the marker plate shown in Fig. 7, inverted, and supplied with hooks in the outer pair of perforations, one hook being permanently secured to a link at One end of the chain, and the other hook being open in a manner similar to Fig. 6; and the exposed indicia on the outer face of the plate reading properly from the front of the marker plate; the ring depending from the central hook serving as a halter rin Fig. 9 is a plan view of a modified marker plate in which the central perforation for the ring carrying hook is omitted, but in which the pair of chain engaging hooks are utilized as above described.

Fig. 10 is a plan view showing a modified allmetal marker plate provided with integral chain receiving hooks, but having a central perforation receiving a hook carrying a depending halter ring.

Fig. 11 is a partial plan view of a modified marker plate having a notch in its edge opposite the hook receiving perforation.

Fig. 12 is a transverse section on the line l2--| 2, Fig. 11, but showing a hook engaged in the related perforation and notch.

My novel marker plate I is preferably formed of non-corrosive material, such as fibre or the like, and as shown in Fig. 3 is preferably but not necessarily rectangular, same having an indicia, viz. 26 engraved or otherwise permanently formed therein, and said plate having three spaced perforations therethrough disposed well within the periphery of the plate, the end perforations la being equally spaced from the side edges of plate I, and the central perforation to being disposed adjacent the center of the plate,

said perforations being slightly greater than the diameter of hooks 2 extending therethrough. Hooks 2 are preferably blanked in the form shown in Fig. 5, the same comprising a strip of heavy wire of diameter somewhat smaller than the diameter of the holes la, lc in the marker plate, each end of the wire being bent back in a substantial radius in the form of a. hook 2a and the central portion of the wire being humped towards the free ends of the hooks in as at 2b so as to partially close the opening into each hooked end of the strip.

Fig. 4 shows the reverse side of the marker plate shown in Fig. 3, the indicia such as 26 on this side of the plate being inverted from that on the opposite side, so that when the plate is suspended from the central hole to the said in-- dicia will read properly thereon.

Fig. 6 shows the marker plate in the assembly used for grown cattle, in which the hooks 2 are inserted into the end perforations I a and extend upwardly from the marker plate I in substantially spaced parallel relation. The plate engaging eyes of hooks 2 after insertion in the "perforations la, are preferably mashed downwardly, as shown at 2.1: in Fig. 6a, so that the opposite legs of the eye are slightly mashed into the material of the fiber plate at its upper edge,

thereby rigidly locking the hooks to the plate to prevent the hooks from pivoting in their perforations lc, and thereby preventing the holes from becoming enlarged, and hence increasing the life of the fibre plate. However, if desired, the eyes of hooks 2 need not be so mashedinto the plate, but may :be loosely mounted in the perforations la. I prefer, however, to mash the eyes for the reason that when the hooks are thus rigidly secured to the plate enlargement and wear at the holes la is prevented.

As shown in Fig. 6 the outer eye of one end hook 2 receives a link 3a at one end of chain 3, which latter may be passed around the horns of the live stock as shown in Fig. l, or around the neck of the live stock as shown in Fig. 2. The

outer eye of the other end hook 2 is left open as shown in Fig. 611, so that, after purchasing, the marker, all the herdsman need do is to pass the chain around the horns or neck of the live stock and insert a link adjacent the free end of chain 3 in the said open eye, and then bend the eye closed so as to prevent removal of the link. the plate I thus serving as a means for locking the ends of chain 3 around the neck or horns of the live stock.

The central perforation lc receives the inner eye of a depending hook 2 which is also preferably mashed to indent the legs of the eyes into the fibre plate, in the manner shown at 21: in Fig. 6a, to rigidly secure the hook thereto, although said eye may be loosely mounted in perforation I c. The outer eye of said hook carries a ring 4 which may be engaged with a tie strap or the like to tie the live stock in stalls or other places, whereby the marker with the ring 4 may serve in place of the usual halter for the live stock.

By the above construction it will be noted that the ends of the hooks 2 are offset from the rear face of the marker plate I, so that when the assembly is used as a horn marker as shown in Fig. 1 the outer ends of the hooks 2 will engage the forehead of the animal and hold theplate I spaced from the animals head to prevent chafing and to permit air to circulate freely thereunder for ventilation purposes.

Fig. 7 shows a slightly modified shape of the marker plate I in which the three perforations la, lc are disposed in triangular relation, the outer perforations Ia being spaced much closer together, and the general shape of the plate I being more or less square rather than oblong. In this modification the plate I has been reversed and inverted to expose the indicia, viz, 2. on the normal underside of the plate, and a single hook 2 is inserted in the central perforation lc only, and, carries a ring 4 at its outer end which may receive a neck strap used around the necks of very young live stock, and such marker in the form shown in Fig. '7 may remain on the young live stock until grown to such size that a neck or horn marker may be applied thereto. In. this modification it will be noted that the hooks 2 have not yet been appliedto the outer perforations la. However, the perforations Ia may be provided with hooks in the manner previously described, and the outer eyes of the hooks may be closed to prevent the same from catching in objects, the hooks remaining closed until such time as the marker plate is to be used as a horn or neck marker for the same live stock when grown. At such time it is merely necessary to pry open the closed eyes of the hooks 2 in the perforations la and invert the marker plate as shown in Fig. 8 so that the reverse side will be exposed to display the same indicia, viz. 2, and to then insert links at the ends of chain 3 in the opened eyes and then close the same, the marker then serving the same identical purpose as that above described in connection with Figs. 6 and 6a.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the marker shown in Fig. '7 but showing the hooks 2 engaged in the outer perforations la and diverging outwardly and upwardly, rather than in parallel relation (as in Fig. 6); otherwise the use of the marker is substantially identical with that described in connection with Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 shows a modified marker plate similar to Fig. 8 but in which the central perforation I0 is omitted, and hence the corresponding hook and ring 4 is omitted; otherwise the marker is substantially identical with that shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 shows an all-metal marker plate H! which is similar to those shown in Figs. 6 and 8, the same having a central perforation Hid adapted to receive a hook 2 carrying the ring 4. In place of the outer pair of perforations however, the allmetal marker plate H] is provided with an integral shank lila at its upper end having spaced tongues 10b extending therefrom, the shank Illa being offset from the plane of the plate H) in order to maintain the plate In spaced from the forehead of the animal when the plate is used in connection with a horn marker as shown in Fig. 1. One of the tongues 18b is rolled to form a closed eye receiving a link 3a at one end of chain 3, while the other tongue llib is left open so that the herdsman need only pass the chain around the neck or horns of the animal and engage a link adjacent the opposite end of chain 3 in the open eye I0?) and then close said eye to lock the marker around the horns or neck of the animal. Preferably projections Hic are formed on the shank Ilia adapted to engage the outer ends of the rolled eyes l0b to prevent the eyes from readily opening due to stresses or strains on the chain 3 set up in event the cattle should look horns or should graze too close to fences or the like, and thus get the chain caught in stationary or relatively stationary oblects.

Instead of mashing the legs of the eyes of hooks 2 into the material of the plates l as shown at 2m in Fig. 6a,, notches la: shown in Figs. 11 and12 may be provided in the edges of the plates l opposite the perforations Ia (and lo) and the outer ends of the eyes 2a of the hooks 2 may be inturned into said notches, as shown in Fig. 12., to maintain the hooks in fixed relation or angularity with respect to the plate I Themarker plates, above described, are inexpensive to construct and as the plate I is made of fibrous material the same is non-corrosive and will not tarnish. At the same time the indicia may be readily impressed permanently thereon. The hooks 2' when rigidly secured in the holes la, lb, in the fibre plate will prevent the holes from becoming enlarged through wear, and thus the life of the plates I will be very much prolonged; and when the eyes of the hooks l' have been mashed down, the bulges 271 at the centers of the hooks will. keep the links of the chains from slipping out of the eyes of the hooks.

My marker plates carrying the rings 4 will serve the same purpose as the usual expensive leather halter now applied to cattle, which leather deteriorates when exposed to weather in a relatively short time. Also, the arrangement of three perforations or holes I a, lo in the marker plate will permit the marker plate being utilized for marking very young live stock through the use of a leather or other strap 5 inserted in the ring 4, and the same marker plate may subsequently serve to lock the chain 3 around the neck or horns of the animal when grown, the ring 4 then serving as a halter ring.

By use of inverted indicia on opposite sides of the plate the indicia will be legible and plainly readable irrespective of whether the plate is used in the normal manner as a chain or horn marker, or used in connection with a leather strap to identify very young cattle. When in normal use the ring 4 will tend to keep the marker plate from turning up-side-down, thereby preventing twisting of chain 3 and foreshortening of same.

When the marker is used as a horn marker the hooks 2 will contact the animals forehead and will keep the same from slipping sidewise on the forehead; also the hooks will maintain the plate spaced from theanimals forehead to permit ventilation thereunder.

I do not limit my invention to the exact forms shown in the drawings, for obviously changes may be made therein within the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. An animal marker or the like, comprising a marker plate having a hole adjacent its upper edge, said plate bearing indicia on its front face; a hook engaged in said hole and having an eye; a member encircling the neck or horns of the animal and engaged by said eye; said hook comprising a length of relatively stiif wire having its ends bent back to form eyes and having its center humped to partly close said eyes; one eye of each hook engaging the hole in the plate, the end of the plate engaging eye overlying the edge of the plate; and the plate engaging eye being mashed to partly embed the wire in the material of the plate to rigidly secure the hook to the plate.

2. An animal marker or the like, comprising a marker plate having a pair of spaced holes adjacent its upper edge, said plate bearing indicia on its front face; hooks engaged in said holes and having eyes; and a chain encircling the neck or horns of the anima1 and engaged by the said eyes; the hooks each comprising a length of relatively stifi Wire having its ends bent back to form eyes and having its center humped to partly close said eyes; one eye of each hook engaging a hole in the plate, the end of the plate engaging eye overlying the edge of the plate; and the plate engaging eye being mashed to partly embed the wire in the material of the plate to rigidly secure the hook to the plate.

3. An animal marker or the like, comprising a marker plate having a pair of spaced holes adjacent its upper edge, said plate bearing indicia on its front face; hooks engaged in said holes and having eyes; and a chain having one end link secured in the eye of one hook, the eye of the other hook being open to receive a link adjacent the other end of the chain to lock the ends of the chain together around the neck or horns of the animal; the hooks each comprising a length of relatively stifi wire having its ends bent back to form eyes and having its center humped to partly close said eyes; one eye of each hook engaging a hole in the plate, the end of the plate engaging eye overlying the edge of the plate; and the plate engaging eye being mashed to partly embed the wire in the material of the plate to rigidly secure the hook to the plate.

WILLIAM F. SCHACHT. 

